Compact polarized antenna and methods

ABSTRACT

A right-hand circular polarized antenna and associated methods. In one embodiment, a quarter-wave antenna configuration is used within a small form factor portable device (e.g. wristwatch). The antenna comprises a radiator element which operates in as a linear polarized antenna while the device is operating in free space. However, when the device is attached to a user (e.g. at a user&#39;s wrist), the antenna utilizes the loading of the user&#39;s body tissue in order to suppress unwanted signals (e.g. left hand polarized signals) to permit operation in circular polarized mode (e.g. right hand polarized mode), thereby allowing for increased sensitivity to received circularly polarized signals such as those emanated from global positioning satellites.

COPYRIGHT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to antenna apparatus for use in electronic devices such as wireless or portable radio devices, and more particularly in one exemplary aspect to a chassis-excited antenna, and methods of tuning and utilizing the same.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED TECHNOLOGY

Internal antennas are commonly found in most modern radio devices, such as mobile computers, portable navigation devices, mobile phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or other personal communication devices (PCD). Typically, these antennas comprise a planar radiating plane and a ground plane parallel thereto, which are connected to each other by a short-circuit conductor in order to achieve the matching of the antenna. The structure is configured so that it functions as a resonator at the desired operating frequency. It is also a common requirement that the antenna operate in more than one frequency band (such as dual-band, tri-band, or quad-band mobile phones), in which case two or more resonators are used. Typically, these internal antennas are located on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the radio device, inside a plastic enclosure that permits propagation of radio frequency waves to and from the antenna(s).

In addition, in order to maximize the transmit power transfer between the transmit antenna and the receive antenna, the antennas should implement the same antenna polarization. A miss-match in antenna polarization will result in signal loss thereby reducing performance of the receiver antenna. Right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) is used in satellite navigation systems, such as Global Positioning System (UPS) and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS). Current implementations of RCHP receiving antennas used in satellite navigation receivers typically include half-wave patch antennas. Half-wave patch antennas are relatively large in size, and thus limit the possibility of minimizing the end device's physical size and designing a favorable form factor.

The use of high dielectric materials has been used to reduce the physical dimensions of the patch antenna, however at the cost of reducing the impedance bandwidth of the antenna, thereby making the antenna more susceptible to surrounding detuning effects. Moreover, such high dielectric materials often have significant weight associated therewith, which can be undesirable for small form factor devices.

Furthermore, patch antennas have narrow impedance and radiation bandwidth characteristics thus limiting the operating frequency range.

Quarter-wave antennas are typically used in applications with space constraints, such as mobile telephones. However, quarter-wavelength antennas mainly operate inherently in a linear polarized mode, thereby causing polarization mismatch and signal loss when receiving circularly polarized signals. In addition, while operating in a linear polarized mode, the RHCP and left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) gain are approximately the same magnitude. Therefore, in system operating using RHCP signals, such as GPS, the strong receipt of LHCP signals by the receiver reduces the receiver's sensitivity. Accordingly, the reduced sensitivity of the receiver, such as in the case of GPS applications, results in poor positioning accuracy. Furthermore, small antenna solutions (e.g. chip antenna, trace antenna, helix antenna, etc) are commonly linearly polarized and not optimized to suppress unwanted polarization signals.

Accordingly, there is a salient need for a wireless antenna with an increased bandwidth and efficiency as well as reduced size for use in portable devices utilizing circular polarized signals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the present invention satisfy the foregoing needs by providing, inter alga, improved circularly polarized antenna apparatus and associated methods.

In a first aspect of the invention, an antenna component for use in a portable communications device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device comprises a ground, a feed port, and a ground plane, and the component includes: a dielectric substrate; a radiator element disposed proximate to a surface of the substrate; and a feed conductor configured to couple to the radiator at a feed point. The antenna component is configured to operate in a first mode when placed under a first operating condition, and to operate in a second mode when placed under a second operating condition.

In one variant, the first mode comprises operating as a linear polarized antenna, and the second mode comprises operating as a right hand circular polarized (RHCP) antenna. The first operating condition comprises the device operating in free-space, and the second operating condition comprises the device operating under a loading condition (e.g., being in electrical contact with at least a part of a user's body).

In another variant, the antenna component comprises a quarter-wave antenna.

In a second aspect of the invention, a small form factor portable device configured to provide positioning information to a user thereof is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes: an antenna capable of operating in a free-space mode and a non free-space mode; and positioning receiver circuitry capable of extracting data from received circularly polarized signals received via at least the non free-space mode of the antenna, the data useful in determining the position of the device.

In one variant, the device comprises a wristwatch-like form factor having a substantially planar face, and the antenna is disposed so as to provide maximal sensitivity in a direction substantially normal to the planar face.

In another variant, the antenna comprises a quarter-wave antenna, thereby allowing the device form factor to be smaller than it would otherwise without use of the quarter wave antenna.

In yet another variant, the antenna includes no high-dielectric (high Epsilon) materials.

In a further variant, the free-space mode comprises a mode wherein the device is not in direct contact with a user thereof, and the non free-space mode comprises a mode wherein the device is loaded by at least contact of the device with bodily tissue of the user.

In still another variant, the antenna includes a substantially polymeric three-dimensional base member and at least one layer of conductive material disposed over prescribed portions of a surface thereof. The at least one layer of conductive material is formed using e.g., a laser direct structuring (LDS) technique.

In a third aspect of the invention, a quarter-wave antenna apparatus for use in small form factor portable electronic device applications is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus is formed by the method comprising: providing a three-dimensional polymer-based structure; applying at least one layer of conductive material to selected regions of a surface of the structure so as to produce a quarter-wave radiator, portions of the selected regions corresponding to a feed and a ground for the radiator. Placement of the feed portion and ground portion are selected so as produce desired right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) isolation gains.

In one variant, the placement of the feed portion and ground portion are selected so as produce desired right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) isolation gains is selected so as to provide an RHCP isolation gain which is substantially greater than an LHCP isolation gain.

In another variant, the three-dimensional polymer-based structure includes a substantially arcuate shape.

In a further variant, the applying at least one layer of conductive material to selected regions of a surface of the structure comprises use of a laser direct structuring process.

In still another variant, the applying at least one layer of conductive material to selected regions of a surface of the structure comprises use of a printing process using flowable conductive material, and without any plating process.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, a method of tuning an antenna so as to optimize the relationship of a first polarization and a second polarization is disclosed. In one embodiment, the antenna comprise a layer of conductive material disposed on a three-dimensional substrate, and the method includes selecting the position of at least one of a feed trace and a ground trace on the three-dimensional substrate so as to control an isolation gain for the first polarization relative to the second polarization.

In one variant, the first polarization comprises a right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and the second polarization comprises a left-handed circular polarization (LHCP).

In another variant, the method further includes adjusting a relative positional relationship of the feed trace and ground trace so as to achieve a desired input impedance for the antenna.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, a method of tuning an antenna so as to optimise an input impedance thereof is disclosed. In one embodiment, the antenna comprises a layer of conductive material disposed on a three-dimensional substrate, and the method includes selecting the position of at least one of a feed trace and a ground trace on the three-dimensional substrate so as to control the input impedance.

Further features of the present invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features, objectives, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a side elevation view illustrating the outside wall of an exemplary embodiment of an antenna apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1B is an isometric view illustrating the top and inside wall of the antenna apparatus according to FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a top elevation view illustrating the top of the antenna apparatus according to FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1D is a bottom elevation view illustrating the bottom of the antenna apparatus according to FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a portable device utilizing an antenna apparatus of the type shown in FIGS. 1A-1D.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are isometric views of underside and top side, respectively, of the top cover of the exemplary portable device of FIG. 2 with exemplary antenna according to the present invention.

FIG. 2C is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the electrical layout of the exemplary device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2D is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the electrical layout of the exemplary device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a plot of return loss S11 (in dB) as a function of frequency, measured at the wrist utilizing an exemplary antenna embodiment constructed in accordance with the antenna depicted in FIGS. 1A through 2C.

FIG. 4 is a plot of measured total efficiency measured at the wrist using an exemplary antenna embodiment of FIGS. 1A through 2C.

FIG. 5 is a plot of right hand circular polarized (RHCP) signal gain and left hand circular polarized (LHCP) signal gain as a function of frequency, measured with the antenna of FIGS. 1A through 2C disposed at zenith and on an artificial test wrist.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are polar plots illustrating exemplary directional LHCP and RHCP gain data for the test setup emulating the exemplary antenna of FIGS. 1A-1D herein, measured as to the zenith pointing upwards at ninety (90) degrees.

FIGS. 7-11 are graphs illustrating exemplary passive test data for a test setup emulating the exemplary antenna of FIGS. 1A-1D herein.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are graphs illustrating exemplary active test data relating to measured SNR (signal to noise ratio) for the four strongest values (FIG. 12) and the next four strongest values (FIG. 13) measured from an actual satellite (constellation).

All Figures disclosed herein are © Copyright 2012 Pulse Finland Oy. All rights reserved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

As used herein, the terms “antenna,” “antenna system,” “antenna assembly”, and “multi-band antenna” refer without limitation to any system that incorporates a single element, multiple elements, or one or more arrays of elements that receive/transmit and/or propagate one or more frequency bands of electromagnetic radiation. The radiation may be of numerous types, e.g., microwave, millimeter wave, radio frequency, digital modulated, analog, analog/digital encoded, digitally encoded millimeter wave energy, or the like. The energy may be transmitted from location to another location, using, or more repeater links, and one or more locations may be mobile, stationary, or fixed to a location on earth such as a base station.

As used herein, the terms “board” and “substrate” refer generally and without limitation to any substantially planar or curved surface or component upon which other components can be disposed. For example, a substrate may comprise a single or multi-layered printed circuit board (e.g., FR4), a semi-conductive die or wafer, or even a surface of a housing or other device component, and may be substantially rigid or alternatively at least somewhat flexible.

The terms “frequency range”, “frequency band”, and “frequency domain” refer without limitation to any frequency range for communicating signals. Such signals may be communicated pursuant to one or more standards or wireless air interfaces.

As used herein, the terms “portable device”, “mobile device”, “client device”, “computing device”, and “end user device” include, but are not limited to, personal computers (PCs) and minicomputers, whether desktop, laptop, or otherwise, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, personal communicators, tablet computers, portable navigation aids, J2ME equipped devices, cellular telephones, smartphones, tablet computers, personal integrated communication or entertainment devices, portable navigation devices, or literally any other device capable of processing data.

Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “radiator,” “radiating plane,” and “radiating element” refer without limitation to an element that can function as part of a system that receives and/or transmits radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation; e.g., an antenna.

The terms “RF feed,” “feed,” “feed conductor,” and “feed network” refer without limitation to any energy conductor and coupling element(s) that can transfer energy, transform impedance, enhance performance characteristics, and conform impedance properties between an incoming/outgoing RF energy signals to that of one or more connective elements, such as for example a radiator.

As used herein, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “side”, “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, and the like merely connote a relative position or geometry of one component to another, and in no way connote an absolute frame of reference or any required orientation. For example, a “top” portion of a component may actually reside below a “bottom” portion when the component is mounted to another device (e.g., to the underside of a PCB).

As used herein, the term “wireless” means any wireless signal, data, communication, or other interface including without limitation Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G (e.g., 3GPP, 3GPP2, and UMTS), HSDPA/HSUPA, TDMA, CDMA (e.g., IS-95A, WCDMA, etc.), FHSS, DSSS, GSM, PAN/802.15, WiMAX (802.16), 802.20, narrowband/FDMA, OFDM, PCS/DCS, Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), analog cellular, CDPD, satellite systems such as GPS and GLONASS, and millimeter wave or microwave systems.

Overview

The present invention provides, in one salient aspect, an antenna apparatus for use in a portable radio device which advantageously provides reduced size and cost, and improved antenna performance. In one embodiment, the portable radio device includes micro strip quarter-wave antenna for use with circular polarized signals. Quarter-wave antennas typically operate mostly in a linear polarized fashion and thus would receive RHCP and LHCP signals at approximately the same gain.

In one implementation, the antenna apparatus is designed to be used with a wrist-mountable watch device enabled with a satellite navigation system (e.g. GPS and/or GLONASS). Satellite navigation systems implement RHCP transmission signals. When the device is operated in free-space (i.e. not attached to a user), the (quarter-wave) antenna operates primarily in a linear polarized mode. However, when the device is attached to a user (e.g. disposed on the user's wrist, and hence loaded by a user's body tissue), the antenna is designed to operate in a dominant RHCP mode by suppressing reception of LHCP signals. This configuration allows for efficient space utilization of a small form factor antenna (e.g. a quarter-wave antenna) to utilize a circular polarization mode.

Advantageously, exemplary embodiments of the invention also obviate the use of high-dielectric materials as in the prior art, thereby allowing for further reductions in device form factor and weight.

Moreover, the inventive antenna configuration allows for the antenna radiators to be positioned within the host device (e.g., watch, mobile computing device, etc.) in such a manner as to optimize the received satellite signal for the expected use cases (e.g., typically pointing upwards toward the sky for wrist watch implementations).

The antenna configuration as in the illustrated embodiments described herein allows for optimization of antenna operation during a normal operating condition (such as being as being in physical contact with the user), as well as providing good performance when the device is not in contact with the user. Furthermore, the use of quarter-wave micro-strip antenna structure in certain embodiments reduces antenna size, which in turn allows for thinner and lighter portable communication devices. Such, a reduction in thickness can be a critical attribute for a portable device and its commercial popularity.

Detailed Description pf Exemplary Embodiments

Detailed descriptions of the various embodiments and variants of the apparatus and methods of the invention are now provided. While primarily discussed in the context of mobile devices, the various apparatus and methodologies discussed herein are not so limited. In fact, many of the apparatus and methodologies described herein are useful in any number of complex antennas, whether associated with mobile or fixed devices that can benefit from the RHCP antenna and methodologies described herein.

Exemplary Antenna Apparatus

Referring now to FIGS. 1A-1D, exemplary embodiments of the radio antenna apparatus of the invention are described in detail.

In the illustrated implementation, antenna apparatus 100 includes a quarter-wave micro-strip antenna. One salient advantage of the use of a quarter-wave antenna is its reduced size. Therefore, the use of high dielectric materials is not required to reduce the physical size of the antenna in order to be usable in highly space-constrained applications. Moreover, while the use high dielectric allows for a reduction of antenna size, the antenna's frequency and impedance bandwidths are reduced, thereby negatively impacting the antenna's performance range. Accordingly, by mitigating the need of high dielectric materials in space constrained antenna applications, the illustrated antenna maintains high electrical performance, small form factor, and lower weight.

In one implementation, the antenna apparatus 100 of FIGS. 1A-1D is formed from using a metal covered plastic body, fabricated by any suitable manufacturing method (such as, for example laser direct structuring (LDS), discussed in greater detail below). However, other implementations may be used to manufacture the antenna apparatus 100 such as flex printed circuit board (PCB), sheet metal, printed radiators, etc., consistent with maintaining the desired small form factor and other attributes provided by the exemplary LDS solution. For example, in one variant, the printing-based methods and apparatus described in co-owned and co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 61/606,320 filed Mar. 2, 2012, and 61/609,868 filed Mar. 12, 2012, each entitled “DEPOSITION ANTENNA APPARATUS AND METHODS”, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, are used for deposition of the antenna radiator on the substrate. In one such variant, the antenna radiator includes a quarter-wave loop or wire-like structure printed onto the substrate using the aforementioned printing process.

Recent advances in LDS antenna manufacturing processes have enabled the construction of antennas directly onto the surface of a material (e.g., thermoplastic material that is doped with a metal additive). The doped metal additive is activated by means of a laser. LDS enables the construction of antennas onto more complex 3-dimensional geometries. In various typical smartphone and other mobile device applications application, the underlying device housing, and/or other components which the antenna may be disposed on inside the device, may be manufactured using this material, such as for example using standard injection molding processes. A laser is then used to activate areas of the (thermoplastic) material that are to be subsequently plated. Typically an electrolytic copper bath followed by successive additive layers such as nickel or gold are then added to complete the construction of the antenna.

LDS is able to produce cost- and space-efficient antennas on three-dimensional structures, such as the formed plastic body component 102 shown in FIGS. 1A-1D.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a side view of the antenna apparatus 100 is shown. The antenna body 102 comprises formed (e.g., injection or transfer molded) plastic, such as polycarbonate or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The formed plastic allows the antenna body 102 to be molded into a variety of shapes, and allows the use of a multitude of different form factors. The antenna radiator element 104 is formed onto of the antenna body 102 via traces of metalized plastic using e.g., the aforementioned LDS process. The antenna radiator element 104 is fed by one or more feed lines 106. In one exemplary variant, the antenna radiator element 104 is connected to a ground line 108. The placement of the ground line determines in part the resonant frequency of the antenna apparatus 100. The ground line may be directly coupled to the antenna element 104, or may be otherwise (e.g., inductively) coupled to the feed line at the host device.

The radiator element width and height are selected based on a specific antenna design requirements including frequency band, bandwidth, and efficiency, which can be readily obtained by one of ordinary skill given the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the antenna is structured to operate in accordance with extant GPS frequency bands and related parameters, although other applications are readily envisaged.

The placement of the feed line 106 and ground line 108 greatly affect the right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) isolation gains. For example, in the exemplary illustration, the feed and ground line 106, 108 placements are chosen for the RCHP gain to dominate, and the LHCP gain to be suppressed (so as to, inter alia, enhance sensitivity to the aforementioned GPS circularly polarized signals). However, if the feed and ground lines placements were located on the opposite end of the antenna body 102, the “handedness” of the antenna apparatus 100 would be reverse, thereby creating a dominant LHCP gain, while suppressing RHCP gain. Accordingly, while not illustrated, the present disclosure contemplates: (i) portable or other devices having both RHCP-dominant and LHCP dominant antennas that can operate substantially independent of one another, and (ii) variants wherein the receiver can switch between the two, depending on the polarization of the signals being received.

In addition, the location of the feed and ground line 106, 108 has a direct effect on the input impedance of the antenna. For example, the closer the feed and ground lines 106, 108 are to one another, the lower the input impedance of the antenna apparatus 100. Accordingly, the input impedance increases as the feed and ground line 106, 108 are farther apart. Thus, the input impedance of the antenna apparatus 100 can advantageously be adjusted accordingly to performance requirements.

In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the antenna apparatus 100 is optimized so that when the device is operating in free space, the antenna is primarily operating as a linear polarized antenna. However, the design of antenna radiator element 104, and the placement in relation to the feed line 106 and ground line 108, are such that when the antenna is placed in a certain operating condition, LHCP gain will be suppressed, thereby allowing the dominant gain to be the RHCP gain (or vice versa, when alternate handedness is used). In one implementation, the LHCP is suppressed when the device is placed onto a user's body, for example the user's wrist. The antenna 100 is design such what when the device is under an increased loading effect (caused by the user's body tissue), the LHCP gain will be suppressed. In this implementation, the exemplary target isolation between the RHCP and LHCP signals is approximately between six (6) through ten (10) decibels (dB), thereby providing very strong differentiation of the signals, and hence making the device quite sensitive to the received signals.

Referring now to FIG. 1B, the inside wall of the exemplary antenna apparatus 100 is shown. The feed line 106 and the ground line 108 are conductively connected to antenna radiator element 104 with lines 106, 108 running vertically along the inside wall of the antenna body 102.

FIG. 1C illustrates a top view of the apparatus 100, illustrating the electrical connection between antenna radiator element 104 and feed line 106 and ground line 108.

FIG. 1D is a view of the bottom surface of antenna apparatus 100. The feed line 104 and ground line 108 terminate to mounting pad contacts 110, 112 respectively. The mounting pad contacts 110, 112 are configured to surface mount to respective mounting pads of the mating device, for example a printed circuit board (PCB) 212—see FIG. 2. While the exemplary illustration implements surface mount contacts, other forms of contacts may be readily used (e.g. through-hole, etc.).

It will be appreciated that while these exemplary embodiments of the antenna apparatus of the invention are implemented using a micro-strip quarter wave antenna (selected in these embodiments for their desirable attributes and performance), the invention is in no way limited to the micro strip antenna configurations, and in fact can be implemented using other technologies, such as loop antennas.

Exemplary Mobile Device Configuration

Referring now to FIGS. 2-2D, an exemplary embodiment of a portable device comprising antenna components configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention is shown and described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the portable device 200 of this embodiment comprises a wrist mountable watch with GPS functionality. The exemplary watch comprises an enclosure consisting of an upper cover or housing 204 and a lower cover or housing 214. In one implementation, the upper and lower covers 204, 214 are formed from a plastic material, such as injection molded polyethylene. In addition, the upper cover 204 is configured to receive a display cover 202 formed at least partly with a transparent material such as a transparent plastic or glass. The upper cover is also configured to receive the antenna apparatus 100 of FIGS. 1A-1D, as shown best in FIGS. 2A-2B. FIGS. 2A and 2B are bottom and top views, respectively, of the upper cover 204 with an inserted exemplary embodiment of the antenna apparatus 100, although it will be appreciated that other types and shapes of antenna structure may be substituted consistent with the device form factor and performance requirements. In one embodiment, the antenna apparatus 100 is included, as well as an additional antenna element 226. The other antenna element 226 can designed to receive other types of wireless signals, such as e.g., Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), 802.11-based system, wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB), AM/FM radio, International, Scientific, Medical (ISM) band (e.g., ISM-868, ISM-915, etc), ZigBee®, etc. to expand the functionality of the portable device.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the portable device further comprises a display device 208. In one embodiment, the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD) and is used to display desired information to the user although, other display technologies can readily be implemented, such as light emitting diodes (LED) or organic LED (OLED), TFT (thin film transistor), etc. Moreover, the display device 208 and cover 202 can comprise a touch screen input and display device (e.g., capacitive or resistive) or the type well known in the electronic arts, thereby providing user touch input capability as well as display functionality.

In the illustrated embodiment, the portable device 200 further comprises a plastic inner support frame 210 to support and separate the display from the printed circuit board (PCB) 212 of the device. The PCB 212 comprises the radio frequency receiver or transceiver electronics 230 (FIG. 2C), as well as any additionally desired electronics, and a ground plane for the antenna. FIG. 2D illustrates an exemplary embodiment where the ground mounting pad contact 112 is not directly connected to the antenna radiator element 104 at the antenna body 102. Rather, the ground mounting pad is inductively coupled to the feed mounting pad contact 110 at the PCB 212.

It will be recognized that the main beam or lobe direction of the antenna apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 2 can be affected by correctly selecting the placement of the antenna radiator 104 with respect to the ground plane of the PCB 212. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the antenna apparatus is mounted on the left side of portable device 200. The radiation pattern with such an exemplary configuration has an RHCP main beam lobe directed to the opposite side of the device 200 (see FIG. 6A). Respectively, the LHCP main beam lobe is directed in the opposite direction of the RHCP main beam lode (see FIG. 6B).

Moreover, the axial ratio (AR) can be affected when antenna feed impedance is tuned in conjunction with user body tissue loading (see prior discussion of impedance tuning based on ground and fees trace locations). Axial ratio (AR) is an important parameter to define performance of circularly polarized antennas; an optimal axial ratio is one (1), which correlates to a condition where the amplitude of a rotating signal is equal in all phases. A fully linearly polarized antenna would have infinite axial ratio, meaning that its signal amplitude is reduced to zero when phase is rotated 90 degrees. If an optimal circular polarized signal is received with a fully linearly polarized antenna, 3 dB signal loss occurs due to polarization mismatch. In other words, 50% of the incident signal is lost. In practice, it is very difficult to achieve optimal circular polarization (AR=1) due to asymmetries on mechanical constructions, etc. Conventionally used ceramic GPS patch antennas typically have an axial ratio of 1 to 3 dB when used in actual implementations. This is considered to be “industry standard”, and sufficient performance level.

The inventive antenna structure described herein achieves an axial ratio of about 5 dB to 7 dB due to limitations of controlling/modifying components of the host device mechanics. Some components such as ground plane size are fixed, and cannot be altered or used to optimize antenna performance. Exemplary embodiments of the inventive antenna described herein use a quarter-wave radiator, which is strongly coupled to the device ground plane.

In one implementation, the device 200 further comprises a metallic shield can 214, which resides underneath the PCB 212. This shield can 214 provides shielding of electronics residing on PCB 212. The shield can 214 behaves as part of the ground plane, and thus affects the ground plane size as well as the antenna shape. The device further comprises a battery 216 used to power the device. It will be appreciated that while a battery 216 is shown, other power sources may be used, whether alone or in tandem with the battery, including for example solar cells (e.g., disposed on or around the face of the device 200), and self-powering user movement-based systems (e.g., “Eco-Drive™ or the like).

Performance

Referring now to FIGS. 3 through 13, performance results obtained during testing by the Assignee hereof of an exemplary test antenna apparatus constructed according to the invention are presented.

FIG. 3 shows a plot of return loss S11 (in dB) as a function of frequency, measured, while connected to a simulated wrist, utilizing an exemplary antenna apparatus 100 constructed in accordance with the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1A through 2C. Exemplary data for the frequency band show a characteristic resonance structure at 1.575 GHz, with an intermediate frequency bandwidth (IFBW) of 70 kHz, thus producing an approximate frequency operating range of 1540-1610 MHz.

FIG. 4 presents data regarding efficiency (measured at the wrist) of a test setup emulating the exemplary antenna embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1D. The data in FIG. 4 demonstrates that the antenna of the invention positioned within the portable device and on the wrist of the user achieves an efficiency of greater than 15% over the exemplary frequency range between 1550 and 1605 MHz with the highest efficiency (about 24%) occurring at approximately 1575 MHz. The antenna efficiency (in percent) is defined as the percentage of a ratio of radiated and input power:

$\begin{matrix} {{{AntennaEfficiency}\mspace{14mu}\%} = {\left( \frac{{Radiated}\mspace{14mu}{Power}}{{Input}\mspace{14mu}{{Po}w{er}}} \right) \times 100\%}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(1)} \end{matrix}$

An efficiency of zero (0) dB corresponds to an ideal theoretical radiator, wherein all of the input power is radiated in the form of electromagnetic energy. Furthermore, according to reciprocity, the efficiency when used as a receive antenna is identical to the efficiency described in Equation 1. Thus, the transmit antenna efficiency is indicative of the expected sensitivity of the antenna operating in a receive mode.

The exemplary antenna of FIGS. 1A-1D is configured to operate in an exemplary frequency band from 1550 MHz to 1600 MHz. This capability advantageously allows operation of a portable computing device with a single antenna over several mobile frequency bands such as the GPS and GLONASS frequency bands. As persons skilled in the art appreciate, the frequency band composition given above may be modified as required by the particular application(s) desired, and additional bands may be supported/used as well.

FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary LHCP and RHCP gain data for the test setup emulating the exemplary antenna of FIGS. 1A-1D herein. As illustrated, the RHCP gain 502 is appreciably higher than the LHCP gain 504, as desired in this application.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate exemplary directional LHCP and RHCP gain data for the test setup emulating the exemplary antenna of FIGS. 1A-1D herein, measured as to the zenith pointing upwards at ninety (90) degrees from a plane parallel with the earth's surface; i.e., in the direction one might encounter GPS/GLONASS satellites if standing on the earth. As illustrated, the RHCP directional gain 602 is appreciably higher than the LHCP directional gain 604, as desired in this application. Accordingly, in satellite navigation system applications where signals would be transmitted downward to a user from orbiting satellites (i.e. around the zero degree direction on the plots of FIGS. 6A and 6B) the LHCP gain is suppressed while still allowing for dominating RHCP gain. Thus, by suppressing the LHCP gain compared to the RHCP gain, the receiver sensitivity to RHCP signals does not suffer from a high LHCP gain, thereby increasing positional accuracy in the exemplary case of satellite navigation applications.

FIGS. 7-11 illustrate exemplary passive test data for the test setup emulating the exemplary antenna of FIGS. 1A-1D herein.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the inventive watch has better free-space efficiency (3D) than the reference patch antenna.

FIG. 8 illustrates that the free-space and wrist test data of RHCP gain (to zenith) in dBic for both the inventive watch and the reference patch are roughly comparable in the lower portion of the frequency band of interest, with the watch gain under both scenarios being appreciably higher above and below this region.

FIG. 9 illustrates that the free-space and wrist test data of LHCP gain (to zenith) in dBic for both the inventive watch and the reference patch are roughly comparable in the band of interest.

FIG. 10 illustrates the free-space test data of axial ratio (to zenith) in dB for both the inventive watch and the reference patch The reference patch antenna has an AR in free space of 1 dB@1570 MHz, and 5 dB@1575 MHz, which is a typical number in this kind of arrangement. The exemplary embodiment of the inventive watch has a 25 dB AR in free space, meaning that it is linearly polarized.

FIG. 11 illustrates the artificial wrist test data of axial ratio (to zenith) in dB for both the inventive watch and the reference patch As illustrated by the data, the reference patch antenna AR degrades when the antenna is measured with the wrist; the peak value is 5 dB compared to 1 dB in free space. The exemplary inventive watch AR improves from 25 dB (free space) to 7 dB (with wrist) on GPS frequency, and is about 5 dB in the GLONASS frequency range. This comparison shows that while the reference patch antenna performs better in free space, in this particular embodiment (measured with the wrist), the exemplary inventive watch reaches the same level of performance as the reference patch.

Hence, looking at the data provided in FIGS. 7-11 collectively, the inventive test watch efficiency was on the order of 10% better than that (patch) reference in free space, and with the artificial wrist, the efficiencies were roughly the same level in both cases.

Similarly, the reference (patch) RHCP gain was roughly comparable (1-2 dB better than the watch, but the RHCP/LHCP difference was advantageously higher in the watch).

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate active test data relating to measured SNR (signal to noise ratio) for the four strongest values (FIG. 12) and the next four strongest values (FIG. 13) measured from an actual satellite (constellation). As illustrated, the data obtained from the inventive antenna apparatus and the reference (patch) antenna were generally comparable in SNR level.

While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. The foregoing description is of the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. This description is in no way meant to be limiting, but rather should be taken as illustrative of the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A small form factor portable device configured to provide positioning information to a user thereof, the device comprising: an antenna capable of operating in a free-space mode and a non-free-space mode; and positioning receiver circuitry configured to extract data from one or more received circularly polarized signals received via at least the non-free-space mode of the antenna, the data useful to determine a position of the device; where the free-space mode comprises a mode where the device is not in direct contact with a user thereof, and the non-free-space mode comprises a mode where the device is loaded by at least contact of the device with bodily tissue of the user.
 2. The device of claim 1, where the device comprises a wristwatch-like form factor having a substantially planar face, and the antenna is disposed so as to provide maximal sensitivity in a direction substantially normal to the planar face.
 3. The device of claim 2, where the antenna comprises a quarter-wave antenna configured to allow the device form factor to be smaller than it would otherwise be without use of the quarter wave antenna.
 4. The device of claim 3, where the quarter-wave antenna comprises: a three-dimensional polymer-based structure; where at least one layer of conductive material is applied to selected regions of a surface of the three-dimensional polymer-based structure so as to produce a quarter-wave radiator, portions of the selected regions corresponding to a feed and a ground for the quarter-wave radiator; and where the feed and the ground are positioned so as produce desired right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) isolation gains.
 5. The device of claim 4, where the position of the feed and the ground are selected so as to provide an RHCP isolation gain which is substantially greater than an LHCP isolation gain when operating in the non-free-space mode.
 6. The device of claim 4, where the three-dimensional polymer-based structure comprises a substantially arcuate shape.
 7. The device of claim 4, where the at least one layer of conductive material is applied to selected regions of the surface of the three-dimensional polymer-based structure via a laser direct structuring process.
 8. The device of claim 4, where the at least one layer of conductive material is applied to selected regions of the surface of the three-dimensional polymer-based structure via a printing process using a flowable conductive material, and without using any plating processes.
 9. The device of claim 2, where the antenna comprises no high-dielectric (high Epsilon) materials.
 10. The device of claim 1, where the antenna comprises a substantially polymeric three-dimensional base member and at least one layer of conductive material disposed over prescribed portions of a surface thereof.
 11. The device of claim 10, where the at least one layer of conductive material is formed using a laser direct structuring (LDS) technique.
 12. A small form factor portable device configured to provide positioning information to a user thereof, the device comprising: an antenna capable of operating in a free-space mode and a non-free-space mode; and positioning receiver circuitry configured to extract data from one or more received circularly polarized signals received via at least the non-free-space mode of the antenna, the data useful to determine a position of the device; where the antenna comprises a substantially polymeric three-dimensional base member and at least one layer of conductive material disposed over prescribed portions of a surface thereof.
 13. The device of claim 12, where the at least one layer of conductive material is formed using a laser direct structuring (LDS) technique.
 14. The device of claim 13, where the free-space mode comprises a mode where the device is not in direct contact with a user thereof, and the non-free-space mode comprises a mode where the device is loaded by at least contact of the device with bodily tissue of the user.
 15. The device of claim 14, where the device comprises a wristwatch-like form factor having a substantially planar face, and the antenna is disposed so as to provide maximal sensitivity in a direction substantially normal to the planar face.
 16. The device of claim 15, where the antenna comprises a quarter-wave antenna, to allow the device form factor to be smaller than it would otherwise be without use of the quarter wave antenna.
 17. A small form factor portable device configured to provide positioning information to a user thereof, the device comprising: a quarter-wave antenna comprising a three-dimensional polymer-based structure, the quarter-wave antenna capable of operating in a free-space mode and a non-free-space mode, the quarter-wave antenna further configured to allow the device form factor to be smaller than it would otherwise be without use of the quarter-wave antenna; and positioning receiver circuitry configured to extract data from one or more received circularly polarized signals received via at least the non-free-space mode of the antenna, the data useful to determine a position of the device; where the device comprises a wristwatch-like form factor having a substantially planar face, and the quarter-wave antenna is disposed so as to provide maximal sensitivity in a direction substantially normal to the planar face; where at least one layer of conductive material is applied to selected regions of a surface of the three-dimensional polymer-based structure so as to produce a quarter-wave radiator, portions of the selected regions corresponding to a feed and a ground for the radiator; and where the feed and the ground are positioned so as produce desired right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) isolation gains.
 18. The device of claim 17, where the antenna comprises no high-dielectric (high Epsilon) materials.
 19. The device of claim 17, where the position of the feed and the ground are selected so as to provide an RHCP isolation gain which is substantially greater than an LHCP isolation gain when operating in the non-free-space mode.
 20. The device of claim 17, where the three-dimensional polymer-based structure comprises a substantially arcuate shape.
 21. The device of claim 17, where the at least one layer of conductive material is applied to selected regions of the surface of the structure via a laser direct structuring process.
 22. The device of claim 17, where the at least one layer of conductive material is applied to selected regions of the surface of the structure via a printing process using a flowable conductive material, and without use of any plating processes.
 23. An antenna component for use in a small form factor portable device configured to provide positioning information to a user thereof, the antenna component comprising: a dielectric substrate; a radiator element disposed proximate to a surface of the dielectric substrate; and a feed conductor configured to couple to the radiator element at a feed point; where the antenna component is configured to operate in a free-space mode when placed under a first operating condition, and to operate in a non-free-space mode when placed under a second operating condition; where the free-space mode comprises operating as a linear polarized antenna, and the non-free-space mode comprises operating as a right hand circular polarized (RHCP) antenna; and where the non-free-space mode comprises the small form factor portable device being in electrical contact with at least a part of a user's body.
 24. The antenna component of claim 23, where the antenna component comprises a quarter-wave antenna.
 25. The antenna component of claim 23, further comprising a ground conductor configured to couple to the radiator element at a ground point.
 26. The antenna component of claim 23, where a feed port is coupled to a ground point of the small form factor portable device, the coupling occurring at a point between the feed point and the ground point. 